Old/New Testament
The Tribes East of the Jordan
32 The ·people [L sons; descendants] of Reuben and ·Gad [L the sons/descendants of Gad] had large flocks and herds. When they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were good for the animals, 2 they came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the ·people [community; assembly; congregation].
6 Moses told the ·people of Gad [L sons/descendants of Gad] and ·Reuben [L the sons/descendants of Reuben], “Shall your brothers go to war while you stay ·behind [L here]? 7 ·You will [L Why should you…?] discourage the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] from going over to the land the Lord has given them. 8 Your ·ancestors [fathers] did the same thing. I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look at the land. 9 They went as far as the ·Valley of [Wadi] Eshcol, and when they saw the land, they discouraged the hearts of the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] from going into the land the Lord had given them. 10 The Lord became very angry that day and ·made this promise [swore]: 11 ‘None of the people who came from Egypt and who are twenty years old or older will see the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These people have not ·followed me [or been loyal to me] completely. 12 Only Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun ·followed [or were loyal to] the Lord completely [chs. 13–14].’
13 “The Lord was angry with Israel, so he made them wander in the ·desert [wilderness] for forty years. Finally all the ·people [generation] who had ·sinned against [L done evil in the eyes/sight of] the Lord died, 14 and now you ·are acting [L have risen up] just like your ·ancestors [fathers]! You sinful people are making the Lord even more angry with Israel. 15 If you quit following him, it will add to their stay in the ·desert [wilderness], and you will destroy all these people.”
16 Then ·the Reubenites and Gadites [L they] came up to Moses and said, “We will build ·pens for our animals [sheepfolds for our flocks] and cities for our children here. 17 Then our children will be in strong, walled cities, safe from the people who live in this land. Then we will prepare for war. We will help the other ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] get their land, 18 and we will not return home until every Israelite has ·received his land [inherited their inheritance]. 19 We won’t ·take [inherit] any of the land west of the Jordan River; our ·part of the land [inheritance] is east of the Jordan.”
20 So Moses told them, “You must do these things. You must go before the Lord into battle 21 and cross the Jordan River armed, until the Lord ·forces out [dispossesses] the enemy. 22 After the Lord helps us take the land, you may return home. You will ·have done your duty to [be free of your obligation; be innnocent before] the Lord and Israel, and you may have this land as ·your own [L a possession before the Lord].
23 “But if you don’t do these things, you will be sinning against the Lord; know for sure that ·you will be punished for your sin [L your sin will find you]. 24 Build cities for your children and ·pens for your animals [sheepfolds for your flocks], but then you must do what you ·promised [said].”
25 The ·Gadites [L sons/descendants of Gad] and ·Reubenites [L the sons/descendants of Reuben] said to Moses, “We are your servants, and we will do what you, our ·master [lord], command. 26 Our children, wives, and all our cattle will stay in the cities of Gilead, 27 but we, your servants, will prepare for battle. We will go over and fight for the Lord, as you, our ·master [lord], have said.”
28 So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the leaders of the clans of the tribes of ·Israel [L sons/T children of Israel]. 29 Moses said to them, “If the ·Gadites [L sons/descendants of Gad] and ·Reubenites [L the sons/descendants of Reuben] prepare for battle and cross the Jordan River with you, to go before the Lord and help you take the land, give them the land of Gilead ·for their own [L as a possession]. 30 But if they do not go over armed, they will not receive it; their land will be in Canaan with you.”
31 The ·Gadites [L sons/descendants of Gad] and ·Reubenites [L the sons/descendants of Reuben] answered, “We are your servants, and we will do as the Lord said. 32 We will cross over into Canaan and go before the Lord ready for battle. But ·our land [L the possession of our inheritance] will be ·east of [beyond] the Jordan River.”
33 So Moses gave that land to the tribes of ·Gad [L the sons/descendants of Gad], ·Reuben [L the sons/descendants of Reuben], and ·East [L the half tribe of] Manasseh. (Manasseh was Joseph’s son.) That land had been the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, as well as all the cities and the land around them.
34 The ·Gadites [L sons/descendants of Gad] rebuilt the cities of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran. These were strong, walled cities. And they built sheep ·pens [folds].
37 The ·Reubenites [L sons/descendants of Reuben] rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, Baal Meon, and Sibmah. They renamed Nebo and Baal Meon when they rebuilt them.
39 The ·descendants [sons] of Makir son of Manasseh went and captured Gilead and forced out the Amorites who were there. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to the family of Makir son of Manasseh, and they settled there. 41 Jair son of Manasseh went out and captured the ·small towns [villages] there, and he called them the ·Towns of Jair [or Villages of Jair; or Havvoth-jair]. 42 Nobah went and captured Kenath and the small towns around it; then he named it Nobah after himself.
Israel’s Journey from Egypt
33 These are the places the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] went as Moses and Aaron led them out of Egypt in divisions [C like an army]. 2 At the Lord’s command Moses ·recorded [wrote down] the places they went, and these are the places they went.
3 On the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover [Ex. 12:1–30], the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] left Rameses and marched out ·boldly [L with a high hand] in front of all the Egyptians [Ex. 12:31–42]. 4 The Egyptians were burying their firstborn sons, whom the Lord had ·killed [L struck]; the Lord ·showed that the gods of Egypt were false [or even executed judgment against their gods; Ex. 12:12].
5 The ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] left Rameses and camped at Succoth.
6 They left Succoth and camped at Etham, at the edge of the ·desert [wilderness; Ex. 13:20].
7 They left Etham and went back to Pi Hahiroth, to the east of Baal Zephon, and camped near Migdol [Ex. 14:2].
8 They left Pi Hahiroth and walked through the sea into the ·desert [wilderness; Ex. 14:1–31]. After going three days through the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Etham, they camped at Marah [Ex. 15:23].
9 They left Marah and went to Elim; there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees where they camped [Ex. 15:27].
10 They left Elim and camped near the ·Red [or Reed; Ex. 10:19] Sea.
11 They left the ·Red [or Reed] Sea and camped in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sin [Ex. 16:1].
12 They left the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sin and camped at Dophkah.
13 They left Dophkah and camped at Alush.
14 They left Alush and camped at Rephidim, where the people had no water to drink [Ex. 17:1–7].
15 They left Rephidim and camped in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sinai [Ex. 19:1].
16 They left the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah [11:34–35].
17 They left Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth [11:35; 12:16].
18 They left Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.
19 They left Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez.
20 They left Rimmon Perez and camped at Libnah.
21 They left Libnah and camped at Rissah.
22 They left Rissah and camped at Kehelathah.
23 They left Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.
24 They left Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.
25 They left Haradah and camped at Makheloth.
26 They left Makheloth and camped at Tahath.
27 They left Tahath and camped at Terah.
28 They left Terah and camped at Mithcah.
29 They left Mithcah and camped at Hashmonah.
30 They left Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.
31 They left Moseroth and camped at Bene Jaakan.
32 They left Bene Jaakan and camped at Hor Haggidgad.
33 They left Hor Haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.
34 They left Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.
35 They left Abronah and camped at Ezion Geber.
36 They left Ezion Geber and camped at Kadesh in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Zin [20:1].
37 They left Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the border of Edom. 38 Aaron the priest obeyed the Lord and went up Mount Hor. There he died on the first day of the fifth month in the fortieth year after the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] left Egypt [20:22–29]. 39 Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.
40 The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the ·southern area of Canaan [Negev], heard that the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] were coming [21:1].
41 The people left Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.
42 They left Zalmonah and camped at Punon.
43 They left Punon and camped at Oboth [21:10].
44 They left Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, on the border of Moab [21:11].
45 They left Iye Abarim and camped at Dibon Gad.
46 They left Dibon Gad and camped at Almon Diblathaim.
47 They left Almon Diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, near Nebo [27:12].
48 They left the mountains of Abarim and camped on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River across from Jericho. 49 They camped along the Jordan on the plains of Moab, and their camp went from Beth Jeshimoth to Abel Acacia [22:1].
50 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan River across from Jericho, the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 51 “Speak to the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] and tell them, ‘When you cross the Jordan River and go into Canaan, 52 force out all the people who live there. Destroy all of their carved statues and metal idols. Wreck all of their ·places of worship [L high places; C worship sites that became associated with pagan worship or inappopriate worship of Yahweh; 1 Kin. 3:2]. 53 Take over the land and settle there, because I have given this land to you to own. 54 Throw lots [C perhaps the Urim and Thummim; Ex. 28:30; Lev. 8:8] to ·divide up [apportion] the land by ·family groups [clans], giving larger portions to larger ·family groups [clans] and smaller portions to smaller ·family groups [clans]. The land will be given as the lots decide; each tribe will get its own land.
55 “‘But if you don’t force those people out of the land, they will bring you trouble. They will be like ·sharp hooks [barbs] in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will bring trouble to the land where you live. 56 Then I will punish you as I had planned to punish them.’”
The Borders of Canaan
34 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Give this command to the ·people [L sons/T children] of Israel: ‘You will soon enter Canaan and ·it will be yours. These shall be the borders [L …this is the land that will fall to you as an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to its borders/boundaries]: 3 On the south you will get part of the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Zin near the border of Edom. On the east side your southern border will start at the south end of the ·Dead [L Salt] Sea, 4 cross south of ·Scorpion Pass [or the Ascent of Akrabbim], and go through the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Zin and south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it will go to Hazar Addar and over to Azmon. 5 From Azmon it will go to the ·brook [wadi] of Egypt, and it will end at the ·Mediterranean Sea [L Sea].
6 “‘Your western border will be the ·Mediterranean [L Great] Sea.
7 “‘Your northern border will begin at the ·Mediterranean [L Great] Sea and ·go [L mark/draw a line] to Mount Hor. 8 From Mount Hor ·it will go [L mark/draw a line] to Lebo Hamath, and on to Zedad. 9 Then the border will go to Ziphron, and it will end at Hazar Enan. This will be your northern border.
10 “‘Your eastern border will begin at Hazar Enan and ·go [L mark/draw a line] to Shepham. 11 From Shepham the border will go ·east of [L down to] Ain to Riblah and ·along [L go down to] the hills east of ·Lake [T the Sea of] ·Galilee [L Kinnereth]. 12 Then the border will go down along the Jordan River and end at the ·Dead [L Salt] Sea.
“‘These are the borders around your country.’”
13 So Moses gave this command to the Israelites: “This is the land you will ·receive [L inherit]. Throw lots [C perhaps the Urim and Thummim; Ex. 28:30; Lev. 8:8] to divide it among the nine and one-half tribes, because the Lord commanded that it should be theirs. 14 The tribes of ·Reuben [L the sons/descendants of Reuben] by their families [clans], ·Gad [L the sons/descendants of Gad] by their families [clans], and ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh have already ·received [L inherited] their land. 15 These two and one-half tribes received ·land [L their inheritance] east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho [32:1–42].”
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, 17 “These are the names of the men who will ·divide [apportion] the land for inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun. 18 Also take one leader from each tribe to help ·divide [apportion] the land for inheritance. 19 These are the names of the leaders: from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh; 20 from the tribe of ·Simeon [L the sons/descendants of Simeon], Shemuel son of Ammihud; 21 from the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad son of Kislon; 22 from the tribe of ·Dan [L the sons/descendants of Dan], Bukki son of Jogli; 23 from the tribe of ·Manasseh [L the sons/descendants of Manasseh] son of Joseph, Hanniel son of Ephod; 24 from the tribe of ·Ephraim [L the sons/descendants of Ephraim] son of Joseph, Kemuel son of Shiphtan; 25 from the tribe of ·Zebulun [L the sons/descendants of Zebulun], Elizaphan son of Parnach; 26 from the tribe of ·Issachar [L the sons/descendants of Issachar], Paltiel son of Azzan; 27 from the tribe of ·Asher [L the sons/descendants of Asher], Ahihud son of Shelomi; 28 from the tribe of ·Naphtali [L the sons/descendants of Naphtali], Pedahel son of Ammihud.”
29 The Lord commanded these men to ·divide [apportion] for inheritance the land of Canaan among the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel].
Jesus Again Talks About His Death(A)
30 Then Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] left that place and went through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know where he was, 31 because he was teaching his ·followers [disciples]. He said to them, “The Son of Man will be ·handed over [delivered over; betrayed] to ·people [L human hands], and they will kill him [C the “handing over” may be Judas’ betrayal or God’s actions in “giving up” his Son to accomplish salvation; Rom. 4:25]. After three days, he will rise from the dead.” 32 But they did not understand what Jesus meant, and they were afraid to ask him.
Who Is the Greatest?(B)
33 Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] went to Capernaum. When they went into a house there, he asked them, “What were you ·arguing about [discussing] on the road?” 34 But they did not answer, because their ·argument [discussion] on the road was about which one of them was the greatest.
35 Jesus sat down and called ·the twelve apostles [the Twelve] to him. He said, “Whoever wants to be ·the most important [first] must be last of all and servant of all.”
36 Then Jesus took a small child and had ·him [or her; C the Greek here does not specify gender] stand among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said, 37 “Whoever ·accepts [welcomes; receives] a child like this in my name [C as a representative or follower of Jesus] accepts me. And whoever ·accepts [welcomes; receives] me accepts [not only me, but] the One who sent me.” [C Children had low social status, so the saying indicates concern for the lowly.]
Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us(C)
38 Then John said, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name [C invoking your authority] to ·force [drive; cast] demons out of a person. We told him to stop, because he does not belong to our group.”
39 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him, because anyone who uses my name to do powerful things will not ·easily [quickly] say evil things about me. 40 Whoever is not against us is ·with [for] us. 41 I tell you the truth, whoever gives you a drink of water because you belong to the ·Christ [Messiah] will ·truly get [L certainly not lose] his reward.
42 “If someone causes one of these little children who believes in me to ·sin [lose faith; stumble], it would be better for that person to have a ·large stone [large millstone; L millstone of a donkey] tied around his neck and be ·drowned [L thrown] in the sea. 43 If your hand causes you ·to sin [lose faith; stumble], cut it off. It is better for you ·to lose part of your body and live forever [L to enter life maimed] than to have two hands and go to ·hell [L Gehenna; C a valley outside of Jerusalem where in the OT period children were sacrificed to a pagan god; later used as a burning trash heap; a metaphor for hell], where the fire never goes out. |44 In hell the worm does not die; the fire is never put out.|[a] 45 If your foot causes you to ·sin [lose faith; stumble], cut it off. It is better for you ·to lose part of your body and to live forever [L to enter life crippled] than to have two feet and be thrown into ·hell [Gehenna; v. 43]. |46 In hell the worm does not die; the fire is never put out.|[b] 47 If your eye causes you to ·sin [lose faith; stumble], take it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into ·hell [Gehenna; v. 43]. 48 In hell the worm does not die; the fire is never put out. 49 Every person will be salted with fire. [C The meaning of this proverb is uncertain; it may mean that the testing of believers purifies (fire) and preserves (salt); or it may refer to believers as God’s covenant people, since salt and fire were part of the OT sacrificial system; see Lev. 2:3; Num. 18:9.]
50 “Salt is good, but if the salt loses its salty taste, you cannot make it salty again. So, ·be full of salt [L have salt in/among yourselves; C salt here may symbolize fellowship within the covenant], and have peace with each other.”
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